Digging implement.



5 able material, and preferabl Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.?

Application filed lay 13, 1908.' Brial Nh. 482,599;

To all 4whom it ,may coment:

Be it known that :1, JassnP. Marsman., a. citizen of the. United States, and a resident. of Rcd'Bank,.in .the county of Monmouth:` and State of New Jersey, have inventecla new andlmproved Digging lmplementrof which the followingis a full, clear, andex` act description.

This invention relatesto'digging' imple ments, and more particularly to implements for turning sod, digging in excavations, and for similar purposes.

More specifically, the invention relates to a digging implement or spade having a blade provided with laterally disposed sides, and at the side edges and at the lower edge cutting teeth or serrations, the blade having secured thereto a handle provided with transverse rungs and itself having an opening which serves, like the rangs, to receive the foot of the operator, who can thus apply his Weight at successive supports in forcing the implement gradually into the ground.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong and durable diggin implement, which can be forced easily into the ground by the application of the weight of the user, which has successive supports to receive the foot of the user as it is forced into the ground, and which is provided with teeth adapted to cut grass, weeds or the like which tend to obstruct the thrust of the implement into the ground.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter 'and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing formin a part of this specification, in which the ure of the drawing is a perspective view 0% the implement. Referring more particularly to the drawing, I provide a spade or shovel blade 10, fashioned from sheet iron or any other suitof an elonated form and having the si es 11 laterallyl disposed and substantially ,.parallel. The sides 11 taper to the lower side or cutting edge of the blade, and at the outer edges are provided with teeth or serrations 12 which may be of any suitable form. The lower side ed e is provided with similar teeth 13. Thus tlie blade has at three sides an uninterrupted series of serrations or teeth which serve to Vsever vegetation or other obstructions, in forcing the blade into the ground in` the .o ment. upper. side, the blade' is.l provided with an:

tionof. diggingwith the imple openinglltherethrough, the lower edgeof:

omewhatnearer the ,lower than the whichis substantiallystraight, and which is,

formed to. reeeive'the foot` of the person.

operating the im lement. A' In this way. the

substantially. parallel. bars 15, fashioned. from metal or other suitable material and' secured in position by means of rivets 16 or the like. The bars 15 are joined at intervals by transverse members or rungs 17 which may be secured in place in any suitable manner, for example, by having the ends located in suitable openings of the bars. The number of the rungs can be varied in accordance with the length of the bars and the distance separatin the rungs. The uppermost rung carries liraces 1S which preferably have openings to receive the uppermost rung and which have the lower ends secured to the sides 11 near the outer edges thereof by means of rivets 19 or in any other suitable manner. The braces 18 serve to strengthen the bars 15.

It will be understood that the bars and the rungs constitute the handle of the digring implement which is operated as folows: The. implement is arran ed in a vertical position or at any dire angle and is forced into the ground by the application of the users weiUht at the opening 14, the user holding the blade in position 1n blgde is then further forced into the ground by the application of the users Weight at the upper edge of the blade 10, the handle bein grasped at ahigher rung. The blade can e still further forced into the ground by the application of the weight of the operator at one of the rungs of the handle. It will be understood that b the provision of the successive supports o ered b the opening 14, the edge of the blade an the run the blade can be radually thrust into t e round With little ilriculty. After the bla de as been thrust into the ground, a fulcrum sup ort, such as a block of wood, is placed behind the blade, and the same is then forced outward and upward by means of the handle, the blade thus loosening and removing a quantity of soil. The devlce can by gras one of the rungs of the hand e. T e

then be dra ged along the ground by means of the han le to the point where the earth is to be deposited.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an implement of the class described, a blade, and a handle, said handle aording a grip for the hands of the operator in di ging with the implement, and further aflixrding successive su ports for the foot of the o erator so that tlie implement can be force into the ground by the imposed weight of the operator, said blade having an opening therethrough forming a support for the foot of the operator.

2. In an implement of the class described a blade having laterally disposed sides, said sides tapering outwardly from the lower side edge, the edges of said laterally disposed sides and the lower side edge having sei-rations, said blade having an openin to receive the foot of the operator, spaced ars rigid with said blade, rungs connecting said bars, and braces connecting said bars and said laterally disposed sides.

3. In an implement of the class described, a blade having laterall disposed sides, said sides taperin outwardf from the lower side edge, space bars ri 1d with said blade, rungs connecting sai bars and affording successive su ports for the foot of the operator, and races connecting said bars at the ends remote from said blade and said laterally disposed sides.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

' J SSE P. MANAHAN. Witnesses: i

H. S. HIGGINsoN,

M. LOUIS BROWN. 

